Do you want to find ways to relax?
Do you tend to think about what has happened in the past, what could have happened, or what you thought happened? Or, do you tend to think about what might happen in the future, and what could or might be? Have you ever had a single thought, or a group of thoughts, that keep repeating in your head? Do you often feel stressed, anxious, or depressed?
Sometimes, when we're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, our minds can feel like they're spinning out of control. Relaxation and mindfulness activities can help you to feel calm and centred, sometimes instantly. They can help you take a step back from your thoughts and feelings, and approach them with more clarity and perspective. It’s like hitting a “pause” button. These activities can be helpful if you're trying to manage your gambling because they can help you to stop turning to gambling when you feel stressed or anxious and give you space to make a more deliberate decision.
When people regularly practice relaxation and mindfulness activities, they can experience a variety of health benefits, including feeling happier, healthier, and less stressed.
Does your family member or friend want to find ways to relax?
Sometimes, when we're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, our minds can feel like they're spinning out of control. Relaxation and mindfulness activities can help people feel calm and centred, sometimes instantly. They can help people take a step back from their thoughts and feelings, and approach them with more clarity and perspective. It’s like hitting a “pause” button. These activities can be helpful for your family member or friend who is trying to manage their gambling because they can help them stop turning to gambling when they feel stressed or anxious and give them space to make a more deliberate decision.
When people regularly practice relaxation and mindfulness activities, they can experience a variety of health benefits, including feeling happier, healthier, and less stressed.
You can play an important role in helping your family member or friend to manage their gambling and increase their overall wellbeing by encouraging them to practice some simple relaxation or mindfulness exercises.
Does someone want to find ways to relax?
Relaxation and mindfulness activities can help people feel calm and centred, sometimes instantly. These activities can be helpful for people who are trying to manage their gambling because they can help them to stop turning to gambling when they’re feeling stressed or anxious and give them space to make a more deliberate decision.
As a professional, you may be in a position to help the person you’re working with manage their gambling and increase their overall wellbeing by encouraging them to practice some simple relaxation or mindfulness exercises.
What are some relaxation exercises?
Some of the different types of relaxation exercises include:
- Brief imagery:
- Sand image relaxation technique: Gently close your eyes. Imagine that you are made of glass and you are full to the top with sand. Now imagine that you have holes at the end of your hands and feet and that the sand is slowly pouring out. Just watch the sand slowly flowing out until it’s all gone.
- Heavy breathing relaxation technique: Gently close your eyes. Commence breathing steadily. Breathe in through the nose and out of the mouth. Count to four as you breathe in and count to four as you breathe out. Think about the air that you are breathing in. Watch the air as it goes up through your nose, down your windpipe and into your lungs. Follow the breath back out again. With each breath, watch the air as it flows gently in and out. Try to notice the sensation of the air flowing in and out. Continue watching until you feel like coming back into your body and opening your eyes.
- Sand image relaxation technique: Gently close your eyes. Imagine that you are made of glass and you are full to the top with sand. Now imagine that you have holes at the end of your hands and feet and that the sand is slowly pouring out. Just watch the sand slowly flowing out until it’s all gone.
- Belly breathing: Gently close your eyes. Take in a nice slow breath through your nose. Start from your belly and expand through your ribs, chest, and lungs. Breathe out through your mouth just as slowly. Place your hand on your belly, feel your belly expand and get bigger as you take a deep breath in, and feel your belly contract and get smaller as you breathe out. Count as you breathe. Start by counting to four as you breathe in and counting to four as you breathe out. Try to work out what’s comfortable for you.
- Imagery relaxation: Even if you can't physically get away, your imagination can transport you to somewhere you feel calm. Relaxation by imagery involves imagining something that makes you feel relaxed. Gently close your eyes. Think of somewhere relaxing and peaceful. You might choose a memory of somewhere you've been, or a place you have imagined. What does it look like? What kind of colours and shapes can you see? Can you hear any sounds? Is it warm or cool? Let your mind drift and your body relax.
- Progressive muscle relaxation. Progressive muscle relaxation is a simple procedure that consists of learning to tense and release the major basic muscle groups in the body. This takes a bit of getting used to, but it’s important to understand that the tension part of the cycle is important because it’s so different from relaxation. A sequence could be right hand and forearm, right upper arm, left hand and forearm, left upper arm, forehead, eyes and cheeks, mouth and jaw, neck, shoulders, shoulder blades/back, chest and stomach, hips and buttocks, right upper leg, right lower leg, right foot, left upper leg, left lower leg, left foot. If you have any injuries, or a history of physical problems that may cause muscle pain, always consult your doctor before you start. Here are the steps:
- Once you’ve set aside the time and place for relaxation, sit in a chair or lie down on the floor and slow down your breathing.
- Gently close your eyes
- When you’re ready to begin, tense each muscle group. Make sure you can feel the tension but not so much that you feel pain. Keep the muscle tensed for approximately 5 seconds.
- Relax the muscle and keep it relaxed for approximately 10 seconds. It may be helpful to say something like “relax” as you relax the muscle.
- When you’ve finished all muscle groups, stay seated for a few moments before allowing yourself to become alert.
What are some mindfulness activities?
Mindfulness is a practice which aims to ground us by bringing awareness and attention to the present moment. When we become mindful, we realise that we are not our thoughts. We become an observer of our thoughts from moment to moment without judging them. Mindfulness involves being with our thoughts as they are, neither grasping at them nor pushing them away.
Some mindfulness exercises include:
- Mindful activity: Focus your mind by taking a moment to simply observe, describe, and participate fully in your chosen activity. Use your senses (i.e. sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) to bring your awareness fully to the activity that in which you are engaging. For example, if you are washing the dishes mindfully, notice the feeling of water on your hands, the sound of water splashing, what the soap suds look like, etc.
Grounding using our senses: Calmly and slowly name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
It’s simple, right? Try mixing the activity up by changing the order of the senses or picking something else to look for in your environment, like different colours (such as 5 blue things, 4 green things…) or words starting with a certain letter (such as 5 things nearby starting with ‘C’, 4 starting with ‘D’…).
- Grounding using categories: Choose at least three of the categories below and name as many items as you can in each one. Spend a few minutes on each category to come up with as many items as possible.
- Movies
- Countries
- Books
- Cereals
- Sports teams
- Colours
- Cars
- Fruit and veg
- Animals
- Cities
- TV shows
- Famous people
For a variation on this activity, try naming items in a category alphabetically. For example, for the fruits and vegetables category, say “apple, banana, carrot” and so on.
- Body awareness: The body awareness technique will bring you into the here-and-now by directing your focus to sensations in the body. Pay special attention to the physical sensations created by each step.
- Take 5 long, deep breaths through your nose, and exhale through puckered lips (i.e. squeeze your lips together as if you are giving someone a kiss).
- Place both feet flat on the floor. Wiggle your toes. Curl and uncurl your toes several times. Spend a moment noticing the sensations in your feet.
- Stomp your feet on the ground several times. Pay attention to the sensations in your feet and legs as make contact with the ground.
- Clench your hands into fists, and then release the tension. Repeat this 10 times.
- Press your palms together. Press them harder and hold this pose for 15 seconds. Pay attention to the feeling of tension in your hands and arms.
- Rub your palms together briskly. Notice the sound and the feeling of warmth.
- Reach your hands over your head like you’re trying to reach the sky. Stretch like this for 5 seconds. Bring your arms down and let them relax at your sides.
- Take 5 more deep breaths and notice the feeling of calm in your body.
- Body scan: A body scan meditation involves paying attention to parts of the body and bodily sensations in a gradual sequence from feet to head. It helps you tune into your mind and body. Developing greater awareness of bodily sensations can help you to feel more connected to your physical self and develop greater insight into the potential causes of uncomfortable feelings.
Sit down in a comfortable position, letting your body relax into your seat. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in, and slowly breathe out. Start to bring attention to your body. Draw your attention to the top of your head. Can you notice any sensations? If so, describe them. Continue this down your body, releasing any tension as breathe in and out, noticing any sensations are they arise.
Getting comfortable with relaxation and mindfulness strategies can take time and involves some trial and error. However, with regular practice, people might start to see improvements in their mood and wellbeing. To create the most meaningful shifts, it can be helpful to practice these exercises regularly, particularly when people have first decided to change their gambling. Alternatively, people might choose to employ certain strategies as ‘self-soothing’ exercises when they are feeling particularly anxious or stressed.
One of the great things about relaxation and mindfulness strategies is that they don't take a lot of time and can be done both in private and almost anywhere in public without anyone noticing. For example, you can practice many of these exercises while sitting at your desk at work or on public transport without anybody around you knowing.
If you need some guidance for any of these relaxation or mindfulness exercises, you could search for available guided classes in your area or search the internet for videos and other online resources.
Do you want more help?
To find out more about how to relax, you can also start an online chat with us or call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 – free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These services are available to support anyone affected by gambling harm, including family members or friends.
If your family member or friend needs some guidance for any of these relaxation or mindfulness exercises, you could search for available guided classes in your area or search the internet for videos and other online resources.
Do you want more help?
To find out more about how to relax, you or your family member or friend can start an online chat with us or call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 – free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
These services are available to support anyone affected by gambling harm, including family members or friends like you. It’s not only the person who gambles that can be affected, but the people close to them too. It’s important to take care of yourself when you’re supporting someone else. Check out the family and friends section in our peer support community to connect with people who understand.
If the person you’re working with needs some guidance for any of these relaxation or mindfulness exercises, you could search for available guided classes in your area or search the internet for videos and other online resources.
Do you want more help?
To find out more about how to relax, you or the person you’re working with can also start an online chat with us or call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 – free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
These services are available to support anyone affected by gambling harm, including family members, friends, and professionals like you. It can be hard for professionals to support people with gambling issues. To learn more about how you can help, go to our section on How Professionals Can Help.
